Nanoparticles, particularly silica nanoparticles, have been proposed for a number of applications including as solid support materials in column chromatography, as polishing agents in the electronics industry, membrane technology, catalyst support, silica-polymer composites, and in diagnostic and drug delivery applications. There is a desire for uniform or monodisperse nanoparticles. Further, for certain applications such as preparation of membranes having uniform pores and desired pore arrangement, where the nanoparticles may be used as templates during the preparation of the membranes, there is a desire that they be soluble in common or safe solvents. Presently known silica nanoparticles are soluble only in corrosive solvents such as hydrofluoric acid or they are slow to dissolve in common solvents, for example, a solution of alkali in water. Accordingly, there is a need for nanoparticles that are uniform in size and/or rapidly soluble in common or safe solvents.